| Building bonds through brother

WHEN it comes to
family planning, despite
stunning advances in
modern reproductive
technology vou still
pretty well have to take
what you get in terms
of the genders of your
children.

Most parents find that
whatever they get works out
just fine for theny. Kids, on the
other hand, aren’t als Vs SO
happy with the family compo-
siuon.

Take my daughter, who
has grown up in a house full
of males, She has been com-
plaining to me about not hav-
ing 2 big sister since she first
started talking.

“It’s no fair” is her tre-
quent lament; “girls who have
big sisters have all the fun.”

Her friends with big s
learned so much about
a girl trom the older girls.

They got to play dolls and
dress-up and consult the
Guija board for marital
Prospects.

They learned about face
creams and perfumes, were up
on all the latese fashions, and
even got to borrow clothes
from the big sisters.

Poor Jillian. Her brothers
had no interest in playing
dolls with her, or putting on
makeup, and my only
ence with dolls and’ makeup
involved blunt scissors and 2
black felt pen.

She got no takers for her
My Little Pony parties or her
Care Bear teas.

“Guys don’t do that kind
of sissy stuff,” the brothers
would advise her, dragging

her outside to play goalie tora

( we Ultimat

Close to
home

g up with
only brothers myseif, Phaven't
been all that sympathetic to
her whining about a. sister
either. The truth is Pm a little
uncomfortable with — that
stereowpical “little girl” play.

“You have ovo wondertt
broth Fell her when
she brings the sister sub
u

“My brothers are complete

she huffs. “Besides,
they stink.”

Maybe, but ] maintain that
these “complete dorks” have
taught her alot about life, and
helped me out as a parent in

Why just look at all the
things she can do: she can play
road hockey and soccer,
Nintendo and touch football.

Her brothers showed her
how to vitch a baseball, and to
fart under her arn N
that was me).

She can burp on command
and drop kick a pes
sibling several ft
batting an

You aren't just born with
those talents you know.

Yup, there’s no doube
about it, my girl's brothers
have helped to shape the
woman she is today

Take the time when she
was 10 and she invited a new
girlfriend over who brought a

makeup kit. This was a kit of

monumental proportions, Jit-
erally bursting with ail manner
of creams and potions for
beauty and allure.

My girl was fascinated,
having had Ftle exposuie to
such things before.

Thev were closeted in the
bathroom for over an hour,
those little girls, and emerged

recognizable. Their
© lined in thick black,
and hdded with deep purple,
their lips and checks were
ruby red.

As they paraded their new
Jook through the family room,
the brothers who were sitting
on the chesterfield watching
TV barely looked up.

Finally. after the girls
forced themselves dircetly
between the TV and the boys,
T heard one lad holler, “Would
vou wits get your stupid
looking fees out of the TV."

Later mv eldest son gave
my daughter a bit of insight
into his gender.

“Guys don’t like chicks
who wear a lot of makeup,”
was all he said.

She flipped him the bird
and rolled her eves, but Pve
noticed that she hasn’t worn
much makeup since then.

And, I'm pretty comtort-
able saving that those cont

oughly demysut
of men for the g

When she was in Grade 6
my daughter and her friends

tor Valentine's Day.

She was all caught up in

fans and chart
out music and dancing,

even hinting that there might
be some kissing games.

“Yeo Gads, girl,”
“Before vou start. thir
you might want to kiss a boy,
I suggest vou take a look in
your brother’s mout
tell me what vou think.

“Dork boy,” she called to
her younger sibling. "Get over
here and open your mouth.”

He sauntered over obedi-
ently (his sister has very long
fingernails, which she is not
afraid to use) and lazily opened
his mouth, r
meals dating back days.

Sympathy for cyclist

Dear Editor:

Concerning the narrowing
confrontation suffered by
cyclist Larry Zimich reported
in your March EE issue, my
sympathies go to Mr. Zimi
and my hopes for his speedy
recovery and rapid: return to
the competitive — cycling
world. Oag cannot help but
wonder though if the inci-

EG in

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aling traces of

Friday, March 27. 1998 — North Shore News — 7

“Oh,
wailed,

my God.” Iii
It’s so disgusting!” :

“You see, my dear” 1
exphined, “hays are not
exactly sticklers for oral
hygiene, at least not until they
are well » their teens. You
might want toa consider this
fact betore vou yo and kiss
one of them.”

She didn’t sav mucit, bur
I'm pretty sure she gor the
messaye.

Jately Pve noticed a
change in my daughter's atti-

love

tude toward her brothers. She
seems to have taken a genuine
Interest in them.

She's been going to all
their hockey games and I
believe PE even heard her vol-
unteer to be a fourth in their
golf group!

Her tather and [ suspect it
has something to do with the
fact that along with brothers
come brothers’ friends

Sisters instead of brothers!

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